


Karasunosu

by PurpleBugg



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, First Meeting, First Time, Original Character - Freeform, Romance, Smut, mid-timeskip au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:14:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26310964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleBugg/pseuds/PurpleBugg
Summary: In Hinata's third year at Karasuno, the team attracts a new fan. Unfortunately she hates the coach, or at least, she thought she did...
Relationships: Ukai Keishin/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	1. Year 3 - New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> So I created this entirely self indulgent au and it spiralled out of control so here I am writing it out from the start. Hope you enjoy!

A new year, a new volleyball season. A huddle of black-uniformed teens made their way through the entrance of Sendai City Gymnasium into the warm-up gym where they would await their first match of the day. For many of this particular team, it would be their very first official match as high schoolers, and nerves were on end, but for the four eldest, this was all routine.

"Why don't you show Tabata where your special bathroom is, Hinata? He looks like he's about to throw up.." Yamaguchi suggested, keeping an eye on the wellbeing of their underclassmen.

"At least he made it to the venue…" Tsukki piped up with a smirk as he placed his bag down against the wall with the others and pulled a trolley full of balls to one end of the court.

"You're never gonna let me forget that, huh?" Hinata sighed, then looked to the first year in question…was this what he'd looked like at his first match? The poor kid was white as a sheet and noticeably trembling "You used to get nervous too, Yamaguchi!" 

"Ah, but I didn't throw up on the bus!" he grinned as he started to lead the rest of the team through their stretches.

"Hinata-san! You threw up on the bus!?" another first year exclaimed, mousey brown hair bouncing as he jogged on the spot.

"Not just on the bus - on Tanaka-san's lap" Kageyama added earnestly.

This elicited yells of disgust and disbelief from their younger teammates and an eruption of laughter from his peers. Hinata merely huffed and brought a hand down on Tabata's shoulder, the little wing spiker jumping with the sudden contact "C'mon - something awesome always happens when I go this bathroom - maybe something'll happen for you!" he grinned, trying to distract him from his nervous tummy.  
Tabata peered up at Hinata through bleach blonde bangs and gave a curious nod, but quickly clamped his lips shut and made a small choked noise.  
"Aaaahhhh c'mon quickly!" Hinata steered him by his shoulders out of the gym and through the crowded foyer to the bathroom.

Whilst Tabeta was emptying his guts, Hinata waited for him just out in the hallway, fidgeting with excitement. He loved match days, especially the first of the season. It never ceased to bring him pure joy. It seemed to get better year on year, the more friends he made from other teams, the more familiar faces he'd inevitably get to see. His world had grown so much thanks to volleyball. He too, had grown another few precious centimeters and now stood at a towering 168cm, insisting he still had more to go.  
His eyes scanned the crowds for a familiar face, or at least a familiar kit. Catching sight of a formation of turquoise and white, he waved frantically and finally caught the eye of Kindaichi. His fellow middle blocker quirked a brow at the redhead's unwavering enthusiasm and gave a small wave before nudging Kunimi beside him and tilting his head in Hinata's direction. He too, gave a smile and a short wave before the team were ushered off to their spot to warm up too.

Eventually, Tabata resurfaced, looking a little more relieved, but drained.

"Feeling better?" Hinata asked with a grin.

The first year gave a small whine in response but nodded vacantly.

"Great! Let's go warm up-!" Hinata spun and took a step out without looking and crashed straight into a big, broad chest.

A large, white-haired man stood before them, his lack of eyebrows giving him a rather unnerving stare.

Tabata looked up at the stranger in wide-eyed horror - Hinata was absolutely about to be killed on the spot.

"Aone!" Hinata squawked, taking a step back so he could look him in the eye properly and give a bow.  
The white-haired man also bowed, and gave a short glance to a terrified Tabata, who flinched and ducked behind Hinata, though he still gave a small, trembling bow.  
"It's awesome you came to watch! How's it going with your new team!?" Hinata asked excitedly.

Aone gave a nod, his lips even curving into the slightest smile. It was nice to know that Hinata had made a point of keeping track of his continuing volleyball career.

"Oh! This is Tabata - Tabata Asuka! He's one of our new wing spikers, you should keep a lookout for when we play, we've been working on some new tricks!" Hinata added, stepping aside and wrapping an arm around his underclassman's shoulders.

Once again, Aone nodded, and gave a short bow before taking his leave, heading off to the stands to see his former classmates play. He was keen to see how the Iron Wall was holding up led by Koganegawa.  
Hinata watched him leave, and gave Tabata a reassuring squeeze before letting him go "It'll be fine, you know - first match is always scary, but it's just the same as playing in our school gym, okay?"

The younger boy watched on, utterly bemused by the exchange between the effervescent Hinata and the stoic stranger. That had to have been one of the weirdest exchanges he'd ever seen…  
He looked back up at Hinata and nodded "..but…what if the other team gangs up on me and blocks my spike?"

"Then we try again on the next serve. Kageyama isn't going to set to you if he thinks you won't hit it right?"

"...I guess?"

"Well then," Hinata gave a wide grin "if the ball comes your way, that means you can get it through, so just take the shot - and remember, you've got the greatest decoy here to help you out!" he pressed a thumb to his own chest before patting the somewhat reassured youngster on the back and leading him back to the gym.

"Ah, Hinata, Tabata, you've missed most of the group warm up - go do yours together, we don't want any injuries" Coach Ukai called over, noticing the two finally returning.

"Sorry Coach!" the two latecomers chimed in unison, and began doing their laps and took a corner of the gym to stretch whilst the rest of the team ran serves and spiking drills.

"Do you think he's going to be okay?" Kageyama muttered to Yamaguchi as they both stepped up to the line to serve over the net.

"I think we'll be able to make up for any shortcomings - he's a good player, it might just take him a set or two to get accustomed so give him plenty of notice if you're going to toss to him" the captain responded before executing a perfect jump float serve.

"I don't have many options, and I can't just toss to Hinata the whole time…"

"You have Kazuo and Kagawa...and even Tsukki can attack from the back if you need him to - it's not like you to worry, Kageyama" he grinned, picking up another ball.

"I'm not too worried…well, maybe I am…" he stared down at the ball in his hands before tossing it up and sending an overhand serve soaring over the net, only to be promptly picked up by their passing libero, who gave a thumbs up and casually jogged the edge of the court back to the rest of the team.

"We've all been in their position at some point, just be patient with him and we'll get the best out of them all" Yamaguchi reassured him.

"Hmm." 

"Alright everyone, gather round" Ukai announced after a good twenty minutes or so of drills. The boys promptly gathered in a semicircle around the coach, Takeda, and their manager, Yachi.   
"Our first match today is against Ohgiminami. Now I'm not too worried, but as always, keep your wits about you. They've changed and grown just like you have, so expect the unexpected. I've heard their libero is relentless, so it's going to be tricky but I think Yamaguchi can throw him off with his jump float" 

The boys listened intently, nodding as their coach advised them on their strategy. They were in a bit of a poor position for the start of the Inter High Preliminaries, as they'd lost two of their experienced attackers to injury and illness. For now, all they could do was have the first years try their best until the regulars returned for later matches.

After strategizing, it was then Takeda's turn to speak up "I believe in each and every one of you. Just go out there and give it your all, and remember you are not on your own" he nodded, having learnt to keep his pep talks a little more concise these days.

Again, the boys nodded, and Yamaguchi stepped forward, hand outstretched to the center of the semicircle that soon spread into a full circle encompassing the whole team "We know what to do - we've practiced for this. Let's show them what Karasuno is made of this year!"   
One by one, the rest of the team stretched their hands out to the center of the circle, the excitement and camaraderie building, crackling between them like electricity.

"Karasuno, fight!"

"Fight!"


	2. Karasuno vs Ohgiminami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first match of the season begins. How will the first years cope when faced with a real opponent!?

Stepping out into the main gym, the youngsters were in awe. There weren't actually that many people in the stands, but just the presence of even a handful of spectators sent jolts of anxiety shooting through their entire bodies.

"Alright, remember what we showed you? We line up first" Yamaguchi reminded them so they didn't panic.  
Tabata and Higashi, donning the numbers 11 and 12 respectively, stood side by side with their teammates. The mousey-haired setter leaned towards his trembling cohort "At least you're in the starting lineup. I just get to watch from the subs box..." 

"Hehhh we can swap if you want!" Tabata squeaked in response. He felt like he could have thrown up again if his stomach weren't already empty.

Before long, the match was underway. It was a rocky start for Karasuno at best. The bulk of their points scored due to their opponent's failed serves, and their famed freak duo's fast attack, though their coach was right - Ohgiminami's libero was indeed a bit of a monster, and once he'd gotten the hang of Hinata's pace, was able to anticipate where he'd try to send it and somehow magically be there to return it.  
Even their blockers were on top form, chasing down their attackers at every turn, their tenacity and relentlessness beginning to wear on the crows, even using their signature synchronised attack didn't seem to faze them.  
Within around half an hour, Ohgiminami had steadily ticked their way up to 25 points, Karasuno chasing them closely behind at 23. They had lost the set, much to their opponent's joyous surprise.  
This generated a fair amount of noise from the spectators, who had expected Karasuno to wipe the floor with them. It somehow seemed much louder than one might expect from the number of people present.

As Coach Ukai gathered his team up for a pep talk, loud murmurs filled the gym. Up in the stands, Shimada and Takinoue stood side by side, giving one another their commentary on the whole thing.

"The newbies look like they need some more work..." Takinoue commented.

"I heard they've lost both Akio and Hideki for at least the next few weeks..." Shimada responded, adjusting his glasses.

"Man...they were both just starting to come into their own last year.." he sighed and folded his arms "wonder what he's telling them..."

"I'm not sure what he could tell them - they're just going to have to try their best and hope the third years can cover for them. Yamaguchi's serve looks great, don't you think?" he grinned at his friend, proud of how he'd helped him with that "I've heard he's taken it upon himself to train their number 12"

"Funny how things come full circle" 

The next set began with both teams staying neck and neck into the mid-teens, when Ohgiminami began to pull ahead, taking another 3 points on serves alone. Finally, their streak was broken by the ball failing to make it over the net, and Karasuno's rotation finally got to change.  
A blow on the whistle signified a substitution. Higashi was trading out with Tabata.  
"Now's your chance!" Tabata grinned, taking the flag and jogging over to the subs box, much happier having played for a bit, but just as relieved for the break.  
Higashi took a shaky breath and picked up the ball. As a Pinch Server, this was his time to shine. Both Yamaguchi and Kageyama had worked hard with him to bring on his skills, he couldn't let them down! Now if only he could stop his sweaty little hands from trembling so hard.

"Hey, Higashi! You've got this!" Yamaguchi turned to give him an encouraging grin and a thumbs up "eight seconds, remember!" 

"Eight seconds, right" he breathed, nodding and bouncing the ball a couple of times to try and ground himself. A shock ran through his body at the sound of the whistle "eight seconds..." he repeated to himself, taking one more breath before tossing the ball up and taking three steps and a jump, this was it. His arm swung up from behind, waiting to feel the ball connect with his palm and....BAM!  
The ball soared towards the net, floating precariously through the air. Karasuno braced themselves, ready to defend the next rally, when at the last moment, it clipped the net and lost its momentum. As if in slow motion, the ball dropped over the net to the floor. 

"YEEEEEEAAAAHHHHH!!!!" the team burst into roars of delight, punching the air and turning to Higashi to show him their support and encouragement.

The mousey-haired first year felt a wave of relief wash over him, and a beaming smile spread across his face. Their celebrations died down and once again, he took the ball for another serve, that anxiety had melted away now.  
Unfortunately, he got a little cocky and stepped a little too far past the ball. That moment of connection never came, and he was jolted into reality by an empty swing and the ball coming down on his head.

The spectators groaned, some in sympathy, many in embarrassment for the poor boy. Some raised voices echoing through the gym as he was once again subbed back out.

"Don't mind! You'll get the next one" Tabata murmured, giving a sympathetic smile as they swapped back.

Higashi nodded, biting his lip hard, his face was beet red and his eyes were brimming with tears. He stood in the subs box with his back to the court whilst he regained his composure.

Ukai gave the child a glance, but decided it was best to let him lick his wounds in peace - it would be even more embarrassing for him if everyone continued to fuss, he just needed a minute and he'd move past it.

The rest of the set, though painful at times, fell in Karasuno's favour. And so they would move on to a third.

"Alright guys, you're doing great - I want Kagawa subbing in for Tabata, he's getting tired. Kazuo, you two swap positions in the rotation-"

"Coach! I want to stay on!" Tabata spoke up, sweaty and red-faced. He'd really gotten into it, though it was clear his stamina wasn't yet on par with the older players.

"Hm?" Ukai looked at the boy with a raised brow.

"I'll score the next point! I'll get it!" he insisted, staring his coach down.

Ukai glanced to the rest of the team and gave a small sigh "Fine, but if I see you struggling, you're coming off, okay? It's nothing personal - we need everyone at full power to win this" he explained.

The first year nodded, way too emotionally invested to admit he was getting exhausted.

The third set started with both teams aggressively vying for that first point. Ohgiminami were on the attack, and Hinata bunched up close next to Tabata "Ready? Aaaand-go!" he timed the jump to reach their peak as the hitter was coming down. Both of them managed to get high enough to block, but unfortunately the ball burst through Tabata's arms. Their libero, Kouji, came sliding along the floor just behind them but it was barely a moment too late. The point was scored.

Cheers and yelling erupted from the spectators and the rival team, and Tabata shrunk a little, dipping his shoulders.  
Hinata clapped him on the back "Don't mind! We'll try again!" he told him with a grin, and got back into position.  
Tabata nodded glumly, turning his gaze to the rest of the team. They had already reset and were back in position to receive the next serve. No one seemed mad at him. He then looked anxiously to the bench where the coach was sat watching. He didn't look angry, but he was watching intensely, and that pressure was tough enough.  
The next few rallies were beyond rough. The freak quick scored them a couple more points, and Kazuo pummelled one through from the back, but things weren't looking good. Tabata was failing to dig the ball, he mis-blocked multiple times - their opponents were taking full advantage of this weak point.  
The final straw was during a brilliant setup; Hinata really getting into the blocker's head, making him chase him to the other end of the court. Kageyama made the decision to give Tabata what would normally be the easiest toss, his side of the court was wide open - this was practically a free point.  
Tabata leapt as hard as he could, swung, and missed completely. The ball slowly bounced off the court and for a moment, the gym fell into a hollow silence. He'd stopped jumping his usual height due to fatigue. He'd long met his limit.

It was at this point, that Ukai got to his feet and signalled for Kagawa to substitute for Tabata. The first-year's heart sank. He'd let his team down as far as he was concerned, and slunk away to the subs box without a word from his coach.   
As the two traded flags, a single angry voice pierced through the droning of the crowd "What are you even doing, coach!? Talk to your damn kids! Lazy-ass!!!" 

Ukai glanced up in the direction of the yelling, and spotted Shimada and Takinoue holding back a young red-haired woman who seemed intent on climbing over the barrier to get at him. He blinked in utter confusion and tried to ignore her. Maybe some stewards would escort her out... "Some kinda crazy..." he muttered to Takeda as the match recommenced.

Tabata and Higashi consoled each other from the subs box, and watched their elders fall into a stronger strategy and just about take the final set.  
The relief was evident on all their faces, though the first years were still looking somewhat sheepish.

Ukai glanced up at the stands as the spectators made their way out, wondering where the furious woman had gotten to...must've been kicked out - all he could see was Takinoue and Shimada still chatting. Takeda patted his arm and smiled "One more after lunch and then you know what time it is~" 

"Takeda, it's a school night - I'm not drinking..." he smirked.

"Sure, sure..." the teacher smirked back, gathering up his belongings.


	3. The Crow and The Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unusual post-match dinner...

The afternoon match against Dateko resulted in Karasuno being knocked out of the Inter High prelims. They'd done the full three sets, winding up in a deuce that climbed into the 30s, but in the end, Koganegawa and his team were the better six, stealing the final point after a gruelling rally that had every spectator holding their breath.

The Karasuno first years bit their lips and sniffled back tears as they lined up to shake hands with their rivals and thank their supporters. Ukai stood beside the team's captain and looked up into the stands, seeing a few people from the school and the neighbourhood...there seemed to be some kind of fuss going on up there, poor Shimada seemed to be getting backed up near the door by the angry red-haired woman and Takinoue was trying tactfully to diffuse the situation "huh, so she saw us lose..bet she'd have some choice words for us..." he muttered to himself with a smirk.

Once the boys had done their cool down stretches and gotten changed back into their tracksuits, they piled back onto the bus, a lot quieter than when they had headed out all fresh-faced and ready to take on anything this morning...

As per tradition now, Ukai treated the kids to a commiseration meal. Quietly, they filed into the restaurant, the third years already talking strategies for future training and points they needed to work on. They had lost plenty of matches before, not too many, but enough that they weren't *too* upset by today's defeat.

"Oi, Tabata quit sniffling, it's not the end of the world, trust us.." Kagawa patted the blubbering first year on the back as their food was brought out.

"Yeah losses happen, we just learn where we went wrong and train twice as hard for next time" Yamaguchi added, passing him a bowl of rice.

"B-but...it's my fault we lost" he stammered, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

The boys all started to protest but Ukai, sat at the end of the long table, stood up and raised his hands for them to quiet down "Okay, okay I'm gonna stop you there - we don't play the blame game on this team. Everyone played their best, and we've just uncovered some areas we need to work on to be even better. But right now, you need to eat some good food, let your muscles recover and grow. We've got training camps organised starting next month, so we've got plenty of time to improve before the next tournament. Don't beat yourselves up. Eat." he gave a nod once he'd finished addressing the boys, who seemed mildly less upset, and gestured to them to start eating.  
A chorus of "Itadakimasu~" rang out before they all started to tuck in. Yachi was sat between Hinata and Yamaguchi, having the taller boy stretch across the table for the food she couldn't reach. She sipped her green tea and gave a small sigh "You guys really put up a good fight today...it's a shame you didn't get through for tomorrow - I saw Seijoh made it through, you could've been facing them" 

"It's alright, the matches will just get more and more difficult from here on out - I think our first years got a bit of a shock today.." Yamaguchi replied. Hinata made a noise of agreement whilst he shoved meat and rice into his mouth.

"Hey idiot, you're gonna choke - chew your food!" Kageyama snapped, elbowing Hinata who chewed down what he had in his mouth and swallowed "I'm starving!" he replied in protest.

"Kageyama, let him keep going, I wanna see when he pops" Tsukki smirked.

As the boys started to natter amongst themselves, Ukai found himself relaxing a little more and enjoying his food, though in the back of his mind, he replayed today's matches and went over feedback for the team, already starting to formulate new strategies based on what he'd seen today.  
The server came over with a tray of beers and set them at the head of the table where the adults were sat.  
"Hm? Oh sorry, we didn't order any-" Ukai spoke up before Takeda cut him off.

"Ah, I did - thank you!" he smiled, shifting the tall handled glasses in front of them.

"Takeda..." Ukai sighed with a small smirk "I said I wasn't drinking tonight..."

"It's my treat, please, drink up - here's to a new school year and a new volleyball season!" Takeda lifted his glass with a grin.

Ukai shrugged and lifted his too "Alright, I'll drink to that" he nodded "Kanpai!" and they clinked their glasses together.  
As the first gulp of beer ran down his throat, Ukai froze, hearing a familiar voice.

"You." 

He choked a little and tilted his head down, giving a small cough before turning around to see none other than the angry red-haired woman from the gymnasium.  
She wasn't particularly tall but definitely not short, and her physique appeared to be that of an athlete; toned legs visible through her sleek black sports leggings. She wore an oversized grey hoodie and a black tracksuit jacket, her bright red hair tied back in a ponytail. Ukai eyed her up and down, words escaping him for the most part.  
"...me?" he questioned, raising a brow.

"Yes, you. Just what kind of coaching do you call that? Not once did you check on your kids or do...anything, really!" she started ranting at him, setting her backpack down, making it clear she had no intention of leaving just yet.

"Whuh? What? How did you find us here?" he blurted out, trying not to look too flustered with the sudden attack.

"I have my ways - anyway.." she perched on the edge of the bench and actually made him budge up, forcing Takada to move and shuffle up alongside Kazuo. He, along with the rest of the team just fell silent and watched on in morbid fascination as this complete stranger started tearing their coach a new one.  
"so are you new at this or are you just an asshole huh? I watched those matches today and I was highly disappointed - I expected better from a powerhouse school! And another thing-!" 

"Wait, wait, wait, just keep it down-" he tried to calm the situation but she just seemed to be getting louder and louder, causing his cheeks to burn red.

"Don't you tell me to keep it down!" she retorted indignantly, growing even louder, her fist pounded the table.

Many of the boys at the table flinched, others watched on in stunned silence, and Tsukki had to turn away and snort into his hand, finding the whole thing hilarious.

"Alright, alright! Here, I'll buy you a beer and we can sit and talk about it but would you please keep it down? We kinda like this place and don't wanna get banned..." he offered, holding his hands together pleadingly, not giving her a chance to answer before he gestured to the server to bring one more beer out with an apologetic smile.

"Ugh, fine, but you're not getting off the hook that easy. I would've hated to have you as my coach..." she muttered, folding her arms. Her drink was brought over fairly promptly, and she lifted the glass to her lips, taking a sip.   
Ukai smiled with relief at the little moment of peace whilst she drank, and glanced to the boys who quickly averted their gaze, either picking at their food or just awkwardly fidgeting. He looked back to the woman, who...had already downed half her pint...  
She placed the glass down on the table with a small exhale and her piercing green eyes fixed upon the bewildered coach   
"So, you wanna explain yourself?" 

"Uhhh yeah...but...you've got a bit of an accent, you're not from the North are you?" he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm from Osaka - I travelled up here specifically to see your team play after I saw them last year at Nationals...Shrimpy and your setter over there didn't fail to impress, but something tells me you didn't have anything to do with that based on the rest of what went down today..." she scolded him, as the two players in question straightened up a little at being mentioned.

Ukai blinked in surprise "You came all the way from Osaka to see us play? What are you a talent scout or something?" 

"You'd be screwed if I was.." she replied with a shrug, taking a smaller sip of beer this time "I used to play in high school, our team made it to Nationals every year....I just like watching the high school tournaments...and you guys came out of nowhere a couple of years ago, it was crazy..." 

"It was quite the experience - that's where it all started for me, actually.." he smiled, relieved he was no longer being yelled at by this fiery stranger "I'm Ukai Keishin by the way, and this is Takeda-san, he's a teacher at the school who helps manage the team" he decided to take a moment to introduce them. Takeda gave a small, awkward wave and decided to busy himself fussing over the boys, making sure their drinks were all topped up and that everyone was eating enough.

"Kasai Hiroko" she replied with a curt nod, giving them both a moment's eye contact "So go on then - tell me how such a shitty coach got his team to Nationals in his first year of coaching..." she grinned mischievously, propping up her chin in the palm of her hand as she turned to him, her body language clearly closing the conversation off from the rest of the table.

"I....." he chuckled almost nervously, feeling his ears burning red. He cleared his throat and took on a more serious tone "I'm not a shitty coach, I can assure you"

"Then why don't you comfort your kids when they screw up? Why even put them in that position, I could see your pinch server shaking from across the gym!"

"I really don't think teenage boys like too much fuss when they've just made a mistake - I would've made it ten times worse by saying something" he responded with a small shrug.

"And your other little one - he's clearly inexperienced and yet you put him in the starting lineup? Just why?" 

"Our two second year spikers are out of commission right now, and I felt like he could've done with the experience." he replied, once again rather coolly. 

She glanced at Tabata and leaned closer to Ukai, lowering her voice "but he made so many rookie mistakes..." 

Ukai smirked, holding his ground "and he learnt a lot in that first match. That's how this team works, they learn and adapt but they can only do that if you give them the chance to actually play. He'll be a better wing spiker for it next year" 

"Listen to you, all wise - you've only coached for a couple years, what gives?"

"My grandfather Ukai used to coach Karasuno back in the day - we had a powerhouse reputation back then too, but he took ill and retired, and the team sort of...fell into obscurity.." 

"Go on.." she pushed for more info, her eyes fixed upon him intensely. Her frown was rather difficult to read...was she still mad at him? Or was she just focusing really hard? Regardless, Ukai went on to tell her the story of how he ended up getting pestered into coaching by Takeda, and the events that had unfolded that first year that led them to Nationals.

He told her about his time in high school as a setter, about Yachi joining the team to manage, following in Kiyoko's footsteps and coming into her own, about changing his work schedule around training sessions, driving Hinata across town to work with his grandfather, and how he always went on at them about their diets. 

In such a short space of time, Ukai's world had transformed from that of a mundane shopkeeper who just wanted to be left alone to read Shonen Jump, to an exciting, more fulfilling life, learning how to help these kids reach their full potential and work harmoniously as a team as best he could. It was only this year he became sorely aware of just how little time he would get to spend with each of them, and he wished he'd realised it sooner. This was Hinata, Kageyama, Yamaguchi and Tsukki's final year. In mere months, they would be graduating and it seemed like just yesterday that he met the oddball bunch of kids that started all of this...he thought back fondly on that original lineup, and how their influence had affected each new generation of baby crows. He was so proud of them he could burst.

As he told his story, Hiroko leaned forward, hanging off his every word. It soon became clear the amount of love and dedication this man had unexpectedly come to invest in these kids, and in this time, one drink became two, then three, even four.  
The pair didn't take their eyes off each other the entire time. Takeda had ended up sorting the kids out and sent them on their way home before it got too late. He would have excused himself politely but he doubted Ukai would have even noticed, and so he paid up on his behalf and left with a smug little grin. He was going to rib him about this tomorrow…

As the night went on, Hiroko regaled him with stories from her high school days - it turned out she graduated a year after him, so they would have been competing around the same time, though the boys and girls teams were often quite separate, chances are they had played at the same gymnasium once or twice.

Both Hiroko and Ukai were enthralled with each other's stories. Both of them completely lit up being able to talk about volleyball from such a personal standpoint, it was as if they knew each other already.  
They finally paused, a little lull in the conversation allowing them to take another drink and collect their thoughts.

"You know, we had a bit of a repuation at Ookamimori..." she told him with a hiccup "We scared a lot of the other teams, we had this...this wolf pack mentality...it was amazing..." she grinned, gripping his forearm, her thumb rubbing back and forth along his wrist.

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me...You're pretty crazy, by the way...who gets the train all the way from Osaka up to Miyagi to watch a high school prelimininal- prelimini...prelim match?" Ukai chuckled drunkenly, staring down at her hand, the heat of her skin against his so intense to him it almost burned.

"Your team is amazing...I really wanted to see them in person - how was I supposed to know they had a shitty coach?" she replied jokingly, smirking at him.

"Hey! Am not..." he laughed, then stopped suddenly, fumbling in his pockets to find his phone and check the time "O-oh...it's late, did you have a train to catch or...?" 

She grinned like a Cheshire cat and shook her head "I got a room at an Inn nearby because I thought you'd be playing tomorrow as well....little did I know.." she giggled, eyes hazy, her cheeks tinged with pink from the alcohol and the heat of the restaurant.

"Ah, I guess that's my fault, I've ruined your little vacation.." he smirked, finishing off his beer.

"Mhmm, all your fault. I guess you could make it up to me and walk me back to the Inn - 'cuz I'm way too fucked to find my way back in the dark - I don't know where I am" she laughed, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I guess it's the least I could do after buying you drinks all night..." he sighed, getting to his feet.


	4. Tea?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukai walks Hiroko back to her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the smut I warned you about >:3

The cool night air was comfortable at first after the heat of the restaurant, but as they walked, the chill started to really bite at them and Hiroko, in just a tracksuit and a jacket, found herself gravitating closer to her new friend, closing the space between them, her arm brushing against his.

"The temperature really drops at night huh?" she observed with a little shiver, swaying into him once more.

"Can't be that different to Osaka, right?" Ukai asked with a smirk, holding a hand to her lower back to steady her, not that he was much better. It always amazed him how he managed to get home safely after any kind of drinking session.   
The training camps with Nekomata were the most brutal, and he often ended up slung between the elder coach and Takeda, being feebly guided back to his room - he really couldn't handle his drink, nor could he handle the hangover the next day. The older he got, the harder it became still. He knew full well his current third years could tell when he was feeling 'sensitive' on certain training days, and often dropped little hints and jokes, or made a point of eating something really strong-smelling in his presence - natto was the worst. Even though he'd been brought up on the stuff, just seeing the packet sometimes was enough to make him retch.  
So tonight, despite his inebriated state, he knew full well he'd be feeling rough tomorrow, though it would be worth it for having met her…

"It's a lot colder for May! How can you stand it!?" she exclaimed, looking up at him in disbelief.

Ukai found himself stuck staring back. Her eyes had him captivated; her pupils blown wide open into two dark pools ringed with a deep jade green.

"Well if you're that cold….", He gave a dumb smile and thought since it was the middle of the night, no one was around and he'd had enough to call it a drunken mistake if badly received, he'd put his arm around her shoulders and pull her close. 

Hiroko gave no resistance. In fact, she practically sunk into him, like she slotted in perfectly under his arm. She gave a small smile and looked down at the pavement just ahead of their feet as they walked, wrapping her arm around his waist, slipping it beneath his tracksuit jacket to reach the warmth closer to his skin. She was having similar thoughts; if this seemed a bit forward or unwelcome, she could always blame the booze.

Ukai practically held his breath as they walked along, not wanting to make any kind of accidental movement that would cause her to let go of his hip…was she playing with his t-shirt? 

Arriving at the Inn, Ukai felt a cold sinking feeling in his stomach as the warmth of her arm left his waist and she stepped out and away from him, taking a couple of steps towards the door before stopping to turn back and face him "So uh...thanks...for the drinks" she murmured, her lips pulled into a sad smile.

"Hm...it was nothing.." he responded awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You know...it's going to be a cold walk home...do you...wanna come in and warm up with some tea?" she offered, averting her eyes, the glow of the lanterns in the doorway illuminating the blush of her cheeks.

"Ah, I should uh...just get going - I don't wanna be any bother.." he automatically responded out of politeness and mild panic.

"Oh, sure, sure..." she nodded, a flash of disappointment in her eyes though she laughed awkwardly and shook her head. Dumb idea... "I've been enough of a bother to you today though, so.."

Ukai chuckled at that and nodded "I mean, you have~...." he shifted on his feet "...you offering to make up for it huh?" he raised a brow, finding himself shifting towards her just a step.

"Well..!" she shrugged, glancing to one side and pushing her hair behind her ear, fidgeting a little "..it's just tea..." she murmured, narrowing the space between them just a bit more. She looked up at him again, locking eyes. Her expression an almost unreadable concoction of emotions that seemed to shift with the flicker of light from the streetlamp above them.

He didn't know if the alcohol was making him brave but something was nagging at the back of his mind to just go for it and say what he really wanted to say. He clenched his eyes shut and took a breath before forcing the words forth, "Do you want me to come in with you?" he had to lay it out plain and simple. He never liked games, the subtleties and intricacies of dating, never showing your hand and all that. He was a simple man; why couldn't things just be simple?

Hiroko exhaled, eyes wide. Her breath passing through her lips in a plume of steam that drifted into the freezing cold night. She nodded and turned to walk into the Inn.

Stunned for a moment that it was that easy, he blinked, and followed her inside the doorway where they removed their shoes, and made their way through to her room. The public spaces at the Inn were all but abandoned, silent. It was as if they were the only ones here. Actually, it had felt like that from the moment she sat down at the table with him...

She got her room key out and unlocked the door, letting him in. The room was very simple; a double-sized western style bed sat against one wall, against another sat a large dresser with tea making facilities on a small table nearby, and a small bathroom off to one side. She had a larger sports bag sitting at the side of the bed, but besides her backpack, that was all she'd brought.

"Hey this place isn't bad.." Ukai murmured, quietly closing the door behind him and setting his shoes down. He turned back to look at Hiroko who had dropped her backpack and stood facing him, surprisingly close. He pressed his back to the door, not wanting to invade her space, though she was quite clearly invading his.

His cheeks flushed and a wonderful sensation rolled down his body straight to his groin thanks to the intense look she was giving him "so uh, how long did you say you were staying here?" he managed to ask with a dumbstruck smile, voice breaking a little as his breath hitched.

"Only tonight." she replied, voice low. Her eyes cast downwards and he suddenly felt very vulnerable, though when she reached out, it was to take hold of his hands and place them on her waist. She smiled, swaying a little on her feet as she shuffled closer to him, slowly closing the space between them and pressing her hips against his. Her words not only answering his question, but reminding herself that time was ticking away. She leaned in closer to him, slowly, fixated on his lips, reading his every movement for any indication she should stop. No such indication was given.  
Her eyes flickered back up to meet his, and her smile widened as he tried to keep his cool despite the dopey grin threatening to steal all credibility.

"Oh.." was all he could think to reply before his eyes closed and suddenly their lips met. It had happened so slowly yet somehow had still caught him by surprise, like he was just waking up to the warmth of her soft lips against his. He let out a heavy sigh as he'd held his breath for too long and the feeling of her hands cupping his cheeks made his heart flutter.  
Hiroko took the moment they parted as an opportunity to nip his lower lip, eliciting a gasp from him, and he finally kicked into action, leaning forward and deepening the kiss. She met him readily, her hands shifting down the sides of his neck to hold onto his shoulders, pulling him backwards into the room.  
Giggling against each others lips, they staggered across the room and flopped down onto the bed, holding onto each other, tugging at clothes and stealing kisses. 

Lying on their sides, his hand slid up her back beneath her t-shirt, her leg slipped between his, and she began grinding slowly against his thigh, drawing out a moan from him. She smirked, and he gave a shy laugh and buried his face in her neck, planting kisses and nibbling at her skin. Hiroko bit her lip and ran her fingers through his hair, pulling off his headband and releasing his thick blonde locks.  
He welcomed the release of that constant slight pressure around his head. He wasn't keen on cutting his hair, having had it completely shaved down back in school, so the hairband was a compromise and a minor inconvenience at worst.

Hiroko seemed to enjoy having something to hold onto, and buried her hands in his hair, the slight tugging having unexpected results in Keishin's pants. Despite his drunken state, he still had enough sense about him to pull away "we...we should stop here...I didn't bring anything.." it pained him to say. He pressed his forehead against hers with a groan.

"I did." she breathed, tightening her grip on his hair ever so slightly, her lips cherry-red and slightly swollen with the intensity of their make-out session.

"..you did?"

"It's not like I was planning to..." she replied with a mischievous grin, kissing the end of his nose "my mother doesn't let me leave the house unprepared..." she chuckled, rolling her eyes. Surely the mention of her mother would be enough of a mood-killer that she might as well have just stopped and not said anything at all.  
Keishin merely laughed along with her "So you come from a family of smart women then.." he commented, nuzzling her cheek to get to her jawline and kiss her lightly.

"Hmmh...the smart must've run out before it reached me..." she grinned, running one hand down his chest, the other still firmly gripping his hair at the back of his head.

"Oh I don't think so...though sleeping with me might not be the smartest idea..." he chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Why's that?" she asked, closing her eyes and nuzzling into his neck.

"Well, there's the very real danger that you might fall in love with me, but tomorrow, you've gotta go back to Osaka and I've gotta stay here..." he explained with a faux wisdom as his fingertips trailed lazily up and down her back, causing the redhead to shiver slightly. He didn't have the greatest confidence in himself, and to be honest, he thought he was probably never going to see her again after tonight - the danger was just as real for him.

"I suppose..." she murmured "...but I think I'm willing to take that chance..." she lifted her head to look into his eyes, dark as the night with flecks of golden burning embers in the warm glow of the bedside lamp.   
He stared back into hers, overwhelmed with their intensity. No wonder she was a formidable opponent on the court - she looked like she was about to eat him alive, and he was happy to let it happen.

And with that, their lips met once more and she pulled him up on top of her. Keishin smirked, cradling the small of her back, lifting her hips to meet his whilst he trailed kisses down her neck to her collarbone. She arched her back in compliance, and began tugging at his jacket. He quickly removed both the jacket and his t-shirt, exposing his bare chest to the cool air of the room, and leaned back down to kiss her neck again.  
Hiroko only got a moment to take in the sight of him before he leaned over her. That wouldn't do...  
"Wait" she breathed, giving him a gentle push. He straightened up a little with a confused look which soon turned to awe as she threw off her own jacket and t-shirt to reveal a rather toned physique beneath.

Once she'd tossed her clothes aside, he moved to close the space between them again, self conscious of his not-so-toned body, but was stopped by a hand in the middle of his chest "wait." she told him more insistently, sitting up, her legs either side of his. She ran her hands down his chest, her fingertips trailing down his stomach to his waistband then parting to hold onto his hips.   
During this examination, he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself, and so he rested his knees on the edge of the bed, his hands on her shoulders as he winced, keeping an eye on her face for any hint of disgust or disapproval but to his relief, found none. When Hiroko had decided she was done, she leaned forward and placed a warm kiss right in the middle of his chest, and wrapped her arms completely around his waist, peppering his skin with more kisses.  
Ukai found himself blushing a little at that, and gently trailed his fingertips across her back as she worked her way down his chest to his stomach. Eventually her fingers searched out his waistband and started to pull down his tracksuit bottoms. He held his breath as she undressed him, kicking his pants aside as she simply resumed kissing his stomach, hands beginning to explore the slight angle of his hips, moving down to his thighs. He stroked her hair, and she quickly untied her ponytail, releasing her long red hair for him to play with.  
In a strange way, it was nice to have something to focus on to take the spotlight off his insecurities - Hiroko didn't seem to have any whatsoever, and took his half-hard cock in her hand, kneading and pumping a few times, bringing him to attention. He gasped at how confidently she handled him, and began panting, unable to care too much about what she thought anymore...

Hiroko was happy as anything to trail her hands all over his body, discovering every inch of skin, kissing him and taking in his scent. Of course she had been anxious about performing, but she found the best way to tackle that fear was with overpowering confidence, real or otherwise. When he reacted quickly to her touch, her worries began to fade, and he seemed happy to let her take the lead.

Keishin closed his eyes, just beginning to adjust to the feel of her comparably dainty hand when he found himself enveloped in something hot and wet. He glanced down to see she'd taken him in her mouth and moaned out as she soaked him with saliva, her tongue swirling and skimming over his tip, making him whine, weak at the knees.

She hummed, smirking a little, and pulled off to gaze up at him, licking her lips "cute noises~" she purred, nuzzling her cheek against his stomach then taking him in again right to the back of her throat.   
He cried out, louder than intended, and quickly stifled himself, blushing deeply.

Releasing him again, she gasped for breath and rubbed circles on his hip with her thumb "It's okay.." she told him gently, kissing and lapping at his tip, trying to tease those sweet sounds out of him again. He had to oblige - her tongue felt amazing, but soon he began to tense up, worried he'd finish before the show had even started. He decided to borrow some of her boldness and stepped back out of her grasp to tug at her leggings, peeling them off with ease, along with her underwear. Luckily she wore a sports bra that she quickly freed herself of in less than a second, and she lay outstretched on the bed, inviting him to help himself to her.

'It's rude to stare...' he thought to himself as he did just that. Hiroko didn't seem to mind. She tilted her head, smiling up at him playfully, waiting to see what his next move would be.  
Returning somewhat to his senses, he smirked and climbed up over her, propping himself up with one hand, the other cupping her cheek while he leaned in to kiss her deeply. The taste of himself on her tongue was weirdly pleasant, he moaned softly against her lips and got a moan in response that sent shivers down his spine. She gripped his wrist and pushed his hand further down her body, the heat from his palm leaving a trail down her pale skin until it reached her breast. She smirked into the kiss and squeezed his hand, encouraging him.  
"Don't worry - you won't break me, I'm not made of glass" she whispered with a giggle.

He chuckled softly "sorry.." he murmured, kissing her again as his hand began to squeeze and knead the soft skin, drawing delighted whines from her. Gaining in confidence, his fingers circled and brushed against her nipple, finding it hardening to his touch. He rolled it between his thumb and forefinger and the heavy sigh she let out was all the confirmation he needed that he was doing the right thing.

Hiroko dragged her fingertips down his chest, finding his nipples and giving them similar treatment, biting his lower lip while she did so. Keishin whined and shuddered in response, the multiple sharp sensations firing pleasure signals from all directions and he started to get an idea of where she was guiding him.

He kissed down her chest, nipping here and there, working his way down further still until he was kneeling at the side of the bed, gently parting her legs. She gazed down at him, eyes hazy with lust, her teeth clamping down on one knuckle as she panted with anticipation.  
Smirking, and so grateful for the alcohol coursing through his system, he kissed her thighs slowly, purposefully. His hands running up and down her warm skin, switching from fingertips to nails, making her tremble until finally closing in on her heat.

Hiroko cried out in pleasure and relief as he lapped at her, tentatively at first, but soon growing more intense, tongue swirling rhythmically. Her hand reached down to grasp a handful of his hair, tugging at him and whining desperately for more, so more he would give her. He honed in on her clit, taking a few test licks before closing his lips around the soft mound of flesh and ever so carefully began sucking.

"A-aah! Yes! M-more!" she gasped, her fingers tensing and trembling as she clutched his hair. He hummed in approval and decided to test and see how much she could take, gradually increasing the intensity in waves. She shuddered and wrapped her legs around his shoulders, crying out his praises "Y-yes! Harder! O-oh fuck...!" she mewled, at his mercy, one arm draped across her eyes, the other gripping the sheets beneath her.

Keishin was thoroughly enjoying himself, feeling like an absolute stud, intoxicated by the sound of her moans, by the taste of her. He could have carried on at this for the rest of the night, but all good things must come to an end. Introducing a single finger, he slid into her with ease, instantly slick - damn, she was really enjoying this...  
Hiroko gasped and gave a tug on his hair in approval. Adding another finger, it took only a few more strokes before her moans rose to a glorious crescendo and she came undone, biting her lip hard to stifle a cry.   
He let her ride out her orgasm, his ministrations becoming gentler and slower till the pulsing of her muscles waned and he sat up to admire her, laid bare, glistening and panting for breath, her eyes burning with lust. He smirked proudly. 'I did that...' he thought to himself, wiping his mouth.

As Hiroko caught her breath, she smirked up at him and held out her arms. In an instant, he was there, cradling her head, his stomach pressed gently against hers, his other hand holding her hip "You okay?" he asked, his nose brushing against hers.  
She tilted her head up to kiss him briefly and nodded.

"Fuck me." 

"Yes ma'am." 

Keishin shifted her hips and when ready, positioned himself at her entrance, slowly pushing inside. Hiroko pulled him close, moaning softly against his lips, her fingers lacing through his messy blonde locks as she stared into his eyes. Everything about her was so intense, and Keishin was both enchanted and intimidated. He found himself unable to tear his gaze away after a few seconds, as slowly he began to move again, shifting his hips back before closing the space between them once more, pushing another moan from her lips.

The first few thrusts were slow and deliberate, but Hiroko couldn't take much more. She craved every last piece of him, and the way he held back felt like a tantalizingly unbearable punishment, like he was limiting the very air she needed to breathe, her desperation grew by the second. She whined and began to rock her hips insistently.

"No. Be patient - you've called all the shots till now" he whispered in her ear. She froze up for just a second, stunned he was taking charge. She liked it. He chuckled softly against her ear and the shudder it sent down her spine could have made her melt into the bed. She whimpered and nuzzled against him insistently, tugging at his hair and dragging her nails down his back but he held strong, clamping his hips tight against hers if she wriggled too much, then resumed his painfully slow thrusts. He loved taking it slow - the greater the build up, the greater the finale, and he wanted to let her in on just how great it was. His body felt wonderfully warm, buzzing with pleasure pulsing through his entire being with every pump of his heart.

Hiroko whined and cried out and whimpered in protest, desperate for him to just pin her down and fuck the life out of her, but he just...wouldn't. Eventually, she gave up fighting him, though her body was preparing itself, slowly building up to a second release as she let out long, hot breaths in time with his own; deep, almost meditative.

The whole time, Keishin kissed her neck and jawline. Not much for words, he fell quiet as he found his self-control faltering, his hips bucking just a little harder, the next thrust came faster, and his pace gradually quickened.  
This didn't go unnoticed by Hiroko, who breathed heavier in his ear and dragged her nails up his back again, deeper this time, red tracks appearing up his skin.

"Please..." she almost begged, groaning, the pressure building up behind her navel spread to her entire lower abdomen "I'm gonna lose it, please...please just fuck me.." 

He gave a low rumble from deep in his chest. The sound of her pleading with him made his cock throb, and at this point, he had to give in to her begging.  
Holding firmly onto her hip, he lifted his head just enough to look into her eyes for a second or two, then caught her in a deep, passionate kiss, his hips slamming into her.  
She kissed him desperately and released a cry into his mouth as finally, she got what she needed. Head swimming, she clawed at him and gripped his hair as he pounded into her, faster and faster. That pressure she'd built up was fast approaching its peak and she broke the kiss to gasp raggedly, "Fuck! I'm gonna-!" her second orgasm hit, deeper than the first, and she bit into his shoulder to stifle a scream of pleasure.

Her voice alone could have sent him over the edge, but the flutter of her muscles contracting around him and the white hot pain of her teeth digging into his shoulder catapulted him past his peak. He closed his lips around the delicate skin of her neck and grazed her with his teeth as he groaned deeply, riding out his climax until he was completely spent.

Tangled up in each other, the two passed out in total bliss, their minds absent of any worries. All they knew was right here and now, the shared warmth of their afterglow, and the steady breathing of the other.


	5. The Morning After

The next morning, Keishin woke with a groan, groggy from the alcohol, his head throbbing. He shifted and let out a heavy sigh, not ready to open his eyes just yet, and tried to roll over but found his leg was pinned down by something. As he slowly started to come to, he realised he was naked...and he wasn't alone.   
"Hmmh?" he pried his eyes open and looked down to see Hiroko tucked up beside him under his arm, her cheek pressed against his chest, her legs wrapped around his. Her breathing was deep and steady, still peacefully fast asleep, and soon it all came flooding back.

He gave a quiet groan and closed his eyes again, burying his face in her fiery red hair. This was about to be one terribly awkward morning.

Carefully as he could, he eased his way out of her grasp and quietly gathered up his clothes and crept to the bathroom to clean up and figure out what the hell he was going to say to her after all that.

Sensing the absence of his warmth, Hiroko finally stirred. Stretching out in the empty bed, she winced at the dull ache in her lower abdomen, then let out a pained whine and curled up. Remembering what had happened the night before, she grinned to herself - it was worth it. Though he was gone now... 

She slowly opened up her eyes and peered over to the floor. All his clothes were gone, great... She propped herself up on one arm and looked over to the doorway, and there his shoes sat beside hers. She grinned with relief and lay back down, rubbing her stomach gently, waiting for him to return.

Keishin took way longer in the shower than necessary, lost in his thoughts as he tried to figure out how the next few hours would go. In the end, he accepted that they would part ways and leave each other with nothing but a good memory. Once he was clean and dressed and feeling a little less delicate, he exited the bathroom to see her still curled up in bed. She looked comfortable...and he was sorely tempted to just climb back in and spoon her for the rest of the day, but..

"Morning~" she murmured, opening one eye upon realising he was watching her from the foot of the bed. She grinned at him and slowly sat up, pulling the sheets up over her bare form "sleep well?"

"Good morning.." he replied with a slow nod, somewhat surprised by her cheery demeanour. He was expecting...regret? Awkwardness? But she seemed happy to see him despite it being the morning after the night before, "So uhh..I should um..." he started to point towards the door. He had no work today, only an inevitable volleyball practice later in the day so as of right now, he had nowhere else to be, though he felt he should make his excuses anyway.

Hiroko tilted her head, eyeing him up.   
"what about breakfast?"

"Hm? What about it?" he asked with a raised brow.

"No, I'm asking - will you come get some breakfast with me? My train isn't till mid-afternoon..." she replied with a small shrug.

Keishin blinked a couple of times in confusion. This wasn't how most one-night-stands ended...  
"I uhh...sure?" he was utterly baffled as to why she didn't want to part ways, never to see or speak to each other ever again...

"Oh great!" she grinned, playing down the relief that washed over her and she jumped up out of bed completely naked and picked a few things out of her bag. 

Passing him to get to the bathroom, Keishin blushed and stared at an incredibly interesting spot on the wall "Oh you're just gonna.." 

She smirked to herself and shut herself in the bathroom to get washed up and ready for her journey home. This little trip had been a lot more fun than she thought it would be. 

Keishin sat back down on the bed and checked his phone. He had a couple of messages from Takeda asking if he got home alright. He decided to reply and let him know he hadn't quite made it home just yet...

Once they were both decent, Keishin took her to one of his favourite places. It was a bright morning, and this time of year there was an open air market nearby that did wonderful yakitori - just what they needed after the night's drinking and other activities...

Upon acquiring said skewered meat, they wandered a little way from the market crowd to eat.

"...I'm sorry, by the way...about picking a fight with you and stuff..." Hiroko murmured, shifting her sports bag on her shoulder.

Keishin blew on his yakitori and took a bite, letting out a small pleasured sigh, then looked to her and shook his head.  
"Nah, don't worry about it. I think I could take you.." he replied jokingly. He knew he definitely couldn't. 

She gave him a small smirk "I mean it though...you're doing great things with those boys, and it's clear to see how proud you are of them, especially your third years - it sounds like you've all really been through a lot...I shouldn't have underestimated the hard work you put into your team..."

He chuckled and gave a shrug "It's more the kids' doing than mine, they're obsessed - all of them.." he smiled fondly.

"Well, maybe I'll get the chance to see them play again at the Spring Tournament..." she replied with a grin.

Keishin blinked in surprise "You'd wanna to come back and see them?" 

"Well yeah, it'd be cool to see how much they progress from what I saw yesterday..." she shrugged, eyeing him with a mischievous look on her face. This wasn't just about volleyball...

"O-oh...well...maybe you might wanna...spectate at some of their training matches in the summer..? It's in Tokyo this year - we stay at one of the schools in the Fukurodani Academy group-"

"The Fukurodani!?" she exclaimed "Their ace from a couple of years back went pro - he's playing for MSBY!" 

Keishin winced a little as her enthusiasm suddenly exploded in his face, though he couldn't help but smile "Ah, you mean Bokuto! Our third years are friends with him, they got to train with him before he graduated" 

"Wow..." her eyes sparkled and she almost dropped her food in awe.

Keishin reached forward to help catch the little paper box of skewers, cupping her hand in the process.  
"Ah! Sorry.." he quickly withdrew his hand once she definitely had it steady, and turned slightly to keep eating his own, hoping the blush rising to his cheeks wasn't as red as it felt.

"Heh, thanks!" she squeaked, her own cheeks dusted pink. 

They stood and quietly looked out at the view of the surrounding fields, and the mountains off in the distance as they continued to eat.

Finishing his food, Keishin lit up a cigarette and got lost in his own thoughts. This all felt so strange, but welcome? One part of him wanted to invite her back - sooner than Tokyo training week...and another part of him wanted to run a mile. That was the little shred of doubt in the back of his mind, the twinge of anxiety that told him to reject anything new. He'd been single since high school and he preferred to keep it that way, despite his parents constantly pestering him as to when he was going to get married and give them some grandchildren. He always argued that he just wasn't interested, and they already had some grandkids from his siblings, but this encounter was entirely different. 

In the past, he'd always had friends and family set him up with people and eventually he had to try and stop them from doing it as it always ended terribly, and had pretty much destroyed any confidence he had in his ability to just...successfully date someone. But for some reason, this woman, who'd appeared to him out of absolutely nowhere ready for a fight, had just come storming in and swept him off his feet. None of it felt forced, he had truly enjoyed her company over the last 12 hours when he really thought about it and fought the habitual urge to run away...it was just a shame she lived so far away...

'What am I thinking!? There's no way she'd actually be interested in me...' he thought to himself, exhaling a thin stream of smoke with a pensive frown.

As Hiroko munched down her food, she too stared out at the scenery, though every now and then gave Keishin a glance. He looked like he was thinking really hard about something; she noticed the way his jaw clenched a little then relaxed when he took a drag of his cigarette. She wasn't a fan of them herself, but she found herself entranced by the way he either sent the smoke out in a controlled stream through his lips, or through his nostrils, huffing like a dragon...  
She caught herself staring and turned away, blushing again. God, why was she blushing so much? They'd already slept together, it's not like there was any mystery left there. And as much as she could stay and talk volleyball forever, she was certain there was nothing more to it - she'd gone storming up to him practically threatening to punch his face in! Hardly the best first impression.  
Anyway, she was certain a guy like him got plenty of attention, and he wouldn't be interested in some volleyball nut from Osaka.

"So..." she trailed off, hoping words would come to her.

"So." he echoed with an awkward chuckle, giving her a lopsided smile.

They looked at each other in silence, willing the other to say something. When no words came, they burst out laughing again, glancing away.

"So I guess I'll uh...see you in Tokyo then..." Hiroko murmured, expressing her intention to see him again.

"Y-yeah?" he perked up, taking another drag on his cigarette, his fingers covering his lips that quirked uncontrollably into a dopey smile.

"Yeah." she confirmed, smiling back.

The rest of the morning was spent chatting and wandering around town. They talked about upcoming matches, where his concerns lay and what he hoped for each of his crows, and she offered advice, bringing up tactics she'd seen from various v-league matches that might suit the players on the team.

Eventually the time came for her train to depart, and Keishin offered to drive her there. Things were quiet for most of the short journey there. Hiroko was quietly watching the scenery fly by, resting back against the headrest, Keishin giving small glances every now and then. He quite liked the sight of her there in the passenger seat, one hand gently clutching the seatbelt across her chest.

Waving her off as the train eased its way from the station and down the track into the distance, he let out a sigh. He lit up a cigarette as he turned to leave, stepping back out of the station into the street along with the departing crowds of people making their way home, and everything seemed back to normal. 

Later that day, he turned up to Karasuno High for volleyball practice. Naturally, the boys had already turned up and were warming up and playing amongst themselves. It warmed his heart to see how keen they were day in day out, and only strengthened his dedication to the team. He opened his mouth to call them over when Takeda appeared before him, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Gah! Takeda-san..." he clutched his chest, glaring at the teacher in surprise.

"Sorry, sorry! I just wondered, before we get started...what happened last night!?" Takeda grinned mischievously.

"Huh? Last night?" Keishin rubbed the back of his head, suddenly looking very bashful "I don't know what you're talking about..."

Takeda raised a brow and smirked at him "Ukai-san...come on, you were talking to her for hours, that's not nothing..." 

He chuckled, glancing away with a small blush "We just talked volleyball...actually, I've got a lot of new ideas for the kids to try" he explained.

"Uh huh, right, right..." the teacher nodded, not believing him in the slightest - he saw the way they were looking at each other.

Keishin gave an exasperated sigh "Let's get down to practice hm?" he smiled at him, eyes screaming 'do not push it'. He was still pretty hungover and he looked it, but still these kids needed coaching!  
He cast an eye across the gym to see the usual; the two first years squabbling and trying to show off to each other, second years doing proper warm ups and laughing at the youngsters, and the third years squabbling harder than their underclassmen, well, Kageyama and Hinata squaring up about something or other whilst Tsukki and Yamaguchi watched on in amusement, throwing in a word or two of encouragement. Coach Ukai certainly had his hands full with this lot.

"Alright everyone, split into two teams and get in your positions!" he called out, clapping his hands together.

The boys looked to their coach and began to gather round as instruction was given, and they promptly began arguing amongst themselves again.

The coach rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose - he didn't have the patience for this today "ALRIGHT!" he snapped, stunning the boys into silence "...Yamaguchi is captain A, Kageyama is captain B - choose your teams and get on the court -NOW!" 

The two third years promptly turned and picked their teams, with another bit of an uproar, having to play 5 v 5 due to the temporary loss of two of their second years. 

Keishin turned to Takeda and muttered to him "what's got them so worked up today?" he asked with a frown.

"Ah, I was meaning to tell you last night...Gushiken has officially left the volleyball club..." he replied sheepishly, not that he had a chance to talk about it.

"He did?" the blonde blinked in surprise and turned back around to see the boys standing in position, five on Kageyama's side, and indeed, just four on Yamaguchi's "...ah." he let out a sigh and started to unzip his jacket. He'd rather stand in and suffer the painful consequences of playing with a hangover than make one boy sit out...

Fortunately, the gym doors flew open and Yachi came running in, looking both excited and flustered "Coach! Hideki's just coming out of the club room! He can come back!" 

'Oh thank fuck...' he thought to himself, quickly zipping his jacket back up, giving Yachi a smile "Great, he can join Kageyama's side as soon as he gets here"

The boys practiced passes and receives while they waited, and mere minutes later, in stepped the second year wing spiker, Hideki Masashi. He was already stretching his shoulders out, ready to get started.  
"Sorry I'm late, coach" he approached Ukai and bowed.

"Eh? It's fine, don't worry - is everything alright now?" he answered with a raised brow.

"Mhmm, my doctor says I can get back to playing now, finally!" Hideki replied, straightening up and giving his coach a smile.

"Alright, just make sure you're properly warmed up, okay? Then get on Yamaguchi's side - we'll start soon" 

"Thanks coach!" the mohawked boy bowed again and turned to jog over to the others, who greeted him excitedly, and he showed them the black ankle support on his right ankle, earning noises of surprise and awe.

"I hope he's truly ready to come back...a ripped tendon is a pretty nasty injury to recover from" Takeda commented, standing beside Keishin as the boys got quickly reacquainted and sorted out their positions.

"If his doctor says he's good to come back, I trust him...he just better not overdo it..." he shrugged, gesturing to Yamaguchi to serve first, then blowing the whistle.


End file.
